Govt asks babus to declare assets

The Bihar government has directed IAS and IPS officers to submit details about their moveable and immovable assets by January 31 and February 28 next year, respectively.

According to a recent circular, the government has made it mandatory for them to furnish details of their properties. All the officers have to submit three copies of their asset details in the prescribed format, which is available on the department website. The completed forms, after submission, would also be uploaded on the government of India website, an official said.

The state government has also made it mandatory for all the IAS officers of the state cadre on deputation to the Centre to submit the details of their assets on the lines of those serving in the state.

The All India Service (Conduct) Rules, 1968, also require IAS, IPS and Indian Forest Service officials, among others, to declare their immovable assets by January 31 every year.

The practice was introduced three years ago by chief minister Nitish Kumar as part of a move to weed out corruption in the state.

To begin with, Kumar declared his assets and asked his ministerial colleagues to follow suit. Later, top IAS and IPS rank officers, including chief secretary and the DGP, were also asked to do so. It was made mandatory to update the information every year. More than 4.5 lakh government employees from Grade I to Grade III, too, have been asked to declare their assets.